DEEPA BHARATH

Religion reporter

Bharath is a reporter with AP’s Global Religion team. She is based in Los Angeles.

The Mormon church’s oldest-ever president has turned 100

Leaders of worldwide religions commonly stay at the helm well past retirement age, but it’s not often you find centenarians overseeing major faiths.

A look at the winding legal saga of Hunter Biden that ended in an unexpected guilty plea

The legal saga surrounding Hunter Biden has taken an unexpected turn. He pleaded guilty Thursday to nine federal tax counts.

Hunter Biden enters surprise guilty plea to avoid tax trial months after his gun conviction

President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, has pleaded guilty to federal tax charges months after his conviction in a separate gun case.

Is Usha Vance’s Hindu identity an asset or a liability to the Trump-Vance campaign?

Usha Vance’s presence in the Trump-Vance campaign has energized some Indian Americans, particularly Hindu American conservatives.

LGBTQ advocates say Mormon church’s new transgender policies marginalize trans members

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued a slew of new guidelines which would limit the role of transgender members in local congregations.

Apache Christ icon controversy sparks debate over Indigenous Catholic faith practices

The congregation at St. Joseph Apache Mission in the Mescalero Reservation in New Mexico, is struggling to deal with the hurt caused by their priest removing a cherished painting called the Apache Christ, which portrays Jesus as an Indigenous holy man.

Who is the Buddhist nun who built a global charity from a tiny apartment in rural Taiwan?

In 1966, Cheng Yen, a Buddhist nun living in eastern Taiwan, asked local housewives to contribute 50 cents a month to fund her charity.

A Taiwan-based Buddhist charity attempts to take the founding nun’s message of compassion global

Tzu Chi is an international Buddhist organization led by the Venerable Cheng Yen, an 87-year-old nun living in Taiwan.

Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles

It’s been 100 years since a Scottish runner famously refused to race on a Sunday at the Paris Olympics because of his Christian beliefs.

Dagestani Jews look to rebuild after extremist attacks in the restive region of southern Russia

Jews in the predominantly Muslim region of Dagestan in southern Russia say they are determined to regroup and rebuild following a deadly attack by Islamic militants on Christian and Jewish houses of worship in two cities last weekend.

Fuller Theological Seminary considers groundbreaking revisions to its sexual standards

An evangelical seminary in Pasadena, California, is considering revisions to its sexual standards. According to a draft of those changes obtained by The Associated Press, these changes could mean more freedom for LGBTQ+ students at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Stories of Asian American Jews on stage showcases diversity and rich heritage

A first-ever theater show to explore the lives of Asian American Jews tells 14 stories of people ranging in age from 12 to 75.

Alice Stewart, CNN political commentator and veteran political adviser, dies at 58

Alice Stewart, a CNN political commentator and veteran political adviser who worked on a number of GOP presidential campaigns, has died at age 58.

Buddha’s birthday: When is it and how is it celebrated in different countries?

Buddha’s birthday is an important holiday in several countries in Asia where there are large Buddhist populations.

Transgender inclusion? World’s major religions take varying stances on policies toward trans people

The Vatican has issued a new document rejecting the concept of changing one’s biological sex. It’s a setback for transgender people who had hoped Pope Francis might be setting the stage for a more welcoming approach from the Catholic Church.

Awe and dread: How religions have responded to total solar eclipses over the centuries

Throughout history, solar eclipses have had profound impact on adherents of various religions around the world.

What is Holi, the Hindu festival of colors and how is it celebrated?

Holi is the Hindu festival of colors, which is celebrated to mark the start of spring in India, Nepal and the diaspora. The festival typically falls in March.

Buddhists use karmic healing against one US city’s anti-Asian legacy and nationwide prejudice today

A group of Buddhist faith leaders and community members gathered in the city of Antioch, California, for the “first national Buddhist memorial service and pilgrimage in response to anti-Asian hate.”

A California city wrestles with its history of discrimination against early Chinese immigrants

Over the last two years, the quiet city of Antioch, California, has been wrestling with its long and complicated history of discrimination against early Chinese immigrants during the gold rush.

What is Lunar New Year and how is it celebrated?

In many Asian cultures, the Lunar New Year is a celebration marking the arrival of spring and the start of a new year on the lunisolar calendar.

New member of Mormon church leadership says it must do better to help sex abuse victims heal

The newest member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ top governing body said every faith — including his — must do more to protect victims of sexual abuse and help facilitate a healing process.

What are sacred forests?

Sacred forests may be large woodlands, smaller groves or even grasslands that are revered by different faith traditions.

Indigenous faithful and Christians work with environmentalists to conserve India’s sacred forests

The northeast Indian state of Meghalaya is home to more than 125 sacred forests. These are tracts of virgin woodlands, which the Indigenous people believe are the abodes of their gods.

How Native familes make salt at one of Hawaii’s last remaining salt patches

A salt patch on the island of Kauai is one of the last remaining locations in all of Hawaii where sacred salt is made by Native Hawaiian families following methods that are several centuries old.

Native Hawaiian salt makers combat climate change and pollution to protect a sacred tradition

A salt patch on the island of Kauai is one of the last remaining in all of Hawaii. Salt makers from 22 Native Hawaiian families gather here in the summer months to do the hard work of making paakai or Hawaiian salt.

Mauna Kea’s sacred volcano unites spiritual heritage and cosmic exploration

Mauna Kea is a 14,000-foot shield volcano in Hawaii’s Big Island. The mountain, especially its summit, is sacred to Native Hawaiians as it contains ceremonial platforms, ancestral burial sites and an alpine lake believed to possess healing powers.

How a massive all-granite, hand-carved Hindu temple ended up on Hawaii’s lush Kauai Island

The island of Kauai is home to the only all-stone, hand-carved Hindu temple in the West, built without power tools or electricity.

What is Diwali, the Festival of Lights, and how is it celebrated in India and the diaspora?

Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India and for Hindus in particular. It is celebrated across faiths by more than a billion people in the world’s most populous nation and the diaspora.

Haley and Ramaswamy show the rising political power of Indian Americans even as they feud in debates

Two of the Republicans running for president are Indian American, even though polling points to an Indian diaspora that overwhelmingly votes for Democrats. Former U.N.

California governor vetoes bill that would have banned caste discrimination

Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have made California the first state in the nation to outlaw discrimination based on caste.

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